Crossed Stars
by Asagi Tsuki
Summary: Haruka leaves Kantarou, causing the human to become depressed.  However, they got help from a pair they never expected


**Crossed Stars**

By: Asagi Tsuki

Summary: Haruka leaves Kantarou, causing the human to become depressed. However, they got help from a pair they never expected

Another Tactics fic from me :D hopefully I haven't lost my almost non-existent touch. I still haven't progressed any in watching the anime, so I won't include too much character here, though I will include two of my OCs. Fear not, they aren't MSs.

Warning: slight OOCness, OCs. This doesn't follow the anime storyline, by the way

Disclaimer: I don't own Tactics

**Fate Chosen by Stars**

Ichinomiya Kantarou, a folklorist and an exorcist, sat in front of his desk, his head laying down on a stack of blank papers while his hand was absently twirling the ink pen he was holding. It was a nice, bright sunny day, and Youko was downstairs hanging their laundry, but his eyes were blank and he seemed to not notice the blinding light.

He had gone on another exorcism mission with Haruka a couple of days ago, and while they had killed the demon successfully, Haruka had accidentally hurt Kantarou with his lightning, causing another scar along his forearm. It was healing nicely, but Haruka felt that he shouldn't stay around Kantarou anymore, because it would just endanger his life.

"_No, Haruka, it was my fault," Kantarou said as he grasped Haruka's sleeve, trying to ignore the ugly burn scar on his arm. "It will heal. I promise. So don't leave."_

Haruka hadn't listened to his begging, and with a final goodbye, he flew off, to somewhere no one knew of. Kantarou had tried looking everywhere he thought the tengu could be at, but he wasn't there.

"Really... this feels like I'm looking for the onikui tengu all over again," Kantarou said with a sigh. "Stupid me, why didn't I use his name to prevent him from leaving?"

He knew the answer. He didn't want to force Haruka into doing anything, especially staying. He wanted Haruka to stay out of his own free will, so that he could really enjoy the times they spent together, and remember clearly the memories they made together.

"Argh..." Kantarou grumbled to himself, burying his face into the stack of papers.

"Kan-chan, there's someone looking for you," Youko called as she slid the paper door open. "I've never seen them around before. They said they're travelers from a country far away."

"I'll be there shortly," Kantarou said and Youko left, going down to the kitchen to prepare tea for the guests. He then got up, stretched himself to rid his body of the kinks, and walked downstairs.

"Ichinomiya-sensei?" a young woman with long black hair looked up at him when he walked into the living room. She had a wooden staff lying beside her, and he knew that it was not just a decorated staff. Spirit energy emanated from it and he knew that they weren't clients. No one with such great energy would have to ask him for exorcism.

"Yes, I am he," Kantarou said as he sat in front of the two. "And you are?"

"My name is Shion, and this is Seran," the woman said as she introduced the silver-haired man sitting beside her. He also had crimson eyes like Kantarou, but Seran looked more stern than playful.

Seran grunted in acknowledgement.

"Forgive me for being so bold, but why exactly are you here?" Kantarou asked just as Youko arrived with a tray of tea cups. She served the cups to them, and retreated out, although she leaned on the wall and listened in on their conversation.

"Seran is a seer," Shion started easily, "he studies the movement of stars, and makes sure that everyone's stars moves like they are supposed to."

"Uh... right," Kantarou blinked, not really understanding what she meant. "And so?"

"He noticed that your star moves a bit too frantically a couple of days ago," Shion continued, "and that the star that is supposed to be connected to yours moved far away. Too far that it's unnatural."

"How do you know that?" Kantarou asked curiously.

Shion flushed slightly as she busied herself with her tea cup. "Well, Seran is a master at reading stars. I know myself because our stars are connected the same way yours is connected to a certain someone named Haruka's. Do you know this person?"

At this, Kantarou's expression dropped. "Yeah... I do."

"Where is he?" Shion asked, taking a sip from her cup, and Seran did the same. "I noticed that there's no one else in this house. Is he away?"

"He's been away since that frantic movement of my star, if it's correct," Kantarou said, sighing heavily. "He said something about keeping me safe and wouldn't listen to me. He's not exactly a person either. He's a tengu."

"Ah," Shion said as she nodded thoughtfully. "Being insecure after accidentally hurting a loved one. I suppose that accident had bruised his ego quite badly."

"I suppose so," Kantarou said dejectedly.

"Still, being away to keep someone safe doesn't make sense at all," Shion said, smiling at Kantarou. "We'll do what we can to help you out."

"Why would you do that?" Kantarou asked, surprised that a complete stranger would do so much for his non-existent lovelife.

"Because it's part of our duty to keep the natural balance of the stars," Shion said, glancing at Seran who kept quiet and continued drinking his tea.

"He doesn't talk much, does he?" Kantarou asked as he spared a glance at the silent red-eyed man.

"He doesn't," Shion said with a chuckle. "He tends to hurt other's feelings when he speaks, so he lets me do the talking. Well, it might or might not be of help, but we've noticed that his star is moving back and forth towards your star. It seems that he comes visit this house to look after you, after all."

At this, Kantarou blushed. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Shion said, smiling brightly. "We'll be off now, and hopefully we'll get to meet this Haruka-san. Be sure to check up where he might be at night. He might be there."

"Alright," Kantarou said as he smiled back at them. "Thank you again. I didn't know what I did to deserve your help."

"Oh no, it's our duty," Shion said as she waved her hand dismissively. "Life is boring if you don't do what you should, isn't it?"

"I suppose you're right," Kantarou said as he chuckled.

"Well then, please excuse us," Shion said as she placed her now empty cup on the tatami mat, and looked at Seran. "Are we going now?"

"Yeah," Seran said lowly and stood up, followed quickly by Shion and Kantarou.

"Well, come by to visit once in a while," Kantarou said as he bowed at the two. "Good luck in trying to find Haruka."

"Of course. Thank you, Ichinomiya-sensei."

"I should be the one thanking you, Shion-kun."

"Ah well, we're going now. See you."

"See you."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Haruka sat on a huge rock overlooking a lake, looking up at the darkening sky. It was time to go visit Kantarou and make sure he's doing alright, but since he had just done that the day before, he didn't have to until the next day.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" a feminine voice cut through his train of thoughts and he frowned, sensing two people walking up to him. "Are you thinking of the moonlight?"

Haruka kept quiet.

"Or maybe the moonlight with red pools," the voice added. "Haruka-san."

"Who are you?" Haruka asked suspiciously, growling as he took out his staff.

"I'm by no means an enemy," the voice said softly as the owner walked even closer to her. He then noticed it was a young woman holding onto her own staff. "I came by to tell you how stupid you are."

"I don't need a stranger to tell me anything," Haruka snapped at her and turned to look back at the lake.

"Ah, I suppose you are really Haruka-san then. A perfect match for Ichinomiya-sensei's trusting nature," the woman said as she chuckled. "Aren't you worried about what he would do? He is, after all, almost gullible."

"Now that he's looking for the onikui tengu all over again, I'm not surprised if he'd get another scar like that," the woman continued, and Haruka's eyes widened, growling at her again.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Haruka asked angrily, glaring at the woman and her companion, a silver-haired and red-eyed man.

"Good thing you asked," the woman said with a sigh. "My name is Shion and this is Seran. Seran is a seer who studies the stars. Your star is breaking away from the way it should be by moving away from Ichinomiya-sensei's star."

"I can't stay with him," Haruka said curtly. "I'll only end up hurting him more."

"Isn't that why you stay with him?" Shion asked kindly, as if coaxing a young boy to stop crying. "To make sure that he doesn't hurt himself unnecessarily."

Haruka kept silent, and Shion continued, "The accident wasn't your fault, really. _His_ star was the one moving frantically, not yours. If your star had moved with his, then it was your fault."

"What would you know?" Haruka retorted sharply.

"He doesn't seem to think that way either," Shion added quickly. "He wants you back, Haruka-san. And we know you visit him once in a while. Why don't you just go back to him already?"

"I told you I—"

"What if he hurts himself while you're not there?" Shion asked. "Doesn't it hurt more, knowing that you could have prevented it and yet you didn't? Then that would be your fault for turning a blind eye on him."

"I—"

"Haruka-san, please think about what I've said," Shion said, smiling at him. "Don't try to fight your own self."

"What are you?" Haruka asked quickly when he sensed that they were going to leave.

Shion paused, and smiled again. "I'm Seran's communicator."

With that said, Shion and Seran left the tengu alone to ponder over what she had said.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Haruka, you came," Kantarou said as he looked up from his futon, smiling at the winged tengu perched on his windowsill. "I haven't seen you for so long."

"Hn," Haruka grunted as he folded his wings and made them disappear. He then noticed something out of the corner of his eye. "Your scar."

"Huh?" Kantarou asked in confusion, then followed Haruka's line of sight. "Oh, this. Yes, it's been healing very nicely, hasn't it?" he asked as he held up his burned scar. The once ugly scar was reduced to a patch of darker skin.

"How did that happen?" Haruka asked.

"Shion-kun apparently is a healer," Kantarou said as he chuckled. "They stopped by earlier today and she healed the scar for me. Aren't they just nice?"

"I suppose," Haruka said, sitting beside Kantarou. "You haven't been doing anything stupid, have you?"

"No, that's reserved for only when Haruka is with me," Kantarou said as he grinned. "After all, who will get me out of my own mess if not you?"

"Then maybe I should leave again to make sure you stay smart," Haruka said as he rolled his eyes and Kantarou started whining, holding onto his arm tightly. "I'm not leaving again."

"Promise?" Kantarou asked as he looked up hopefully at Haruka.

"Yes, promise," Haruka said, leaning forward to kiss Kantarou's forehead lightly. "Now go to sleep. I'm going to find something to eat in the kitchen."

"Can you get a bottle of sake then?" Kantarou asked. "We need to celebrate your return."

Haruka stared at him, then smiled faintly. "Idiot," he murmured. "I never left."

Kantarou stared out of the window, at the bright moon up in the night sky as Haruka walked out of the room, sliding the door closed.

A small smile then tugged on his lips. "I know."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

A pair of a man and a woman sat on top of a huge rock, each holding onto a small cup filled to the brim with sake. They were watching the moonlight's reflection on the surface of the lake.

"You know that they're going to make up anyway, right?" Seran, the man, asked as he downed his shot and watched as Shion refilled his cup.

"Yes, but where's the fun in that?" Shion asked as she giggled. "People like them are always fun to mess with. After all, I can't leave anyone troubled just like that."

Seran rolled his eyes. "More like you can't help yourself from matchmaking."

"Ah, you know me too well, Seran. Too well."

**Never Meant to Change**

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy this short ficlet.

Constructive criticism is hoped for, reviews are appreciated and flames are ignored. Anyway, hope you enjoy, and review! Thank you.

Also if you would, tell me what you think of my OCs :D they're actually named Seran Signora and Zion Israel, but for easier spelling and pronunciation purposes, I got rid of their surnames and replaced Zion's name with Shion


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